The Super Yard we bought just didn’t cut it. I had trouble with opening it (and it was too tall for me just to lean in and put Claire down or pick her up). It was hard plastic on the side, and dull gray. It looked like a kennel.
So Husband did more research and learned there were good reviews for the Graco Pack-n-Play Tot Block yard. It’s colorful, got soft mesh sides, and has toys sewn in on the sides that squeak and make crinkly noises. Claire’s first time inside was good; she was very curious about all the colors and sounds.
Now I’ve got a safe place to put her when I need to turn my back for a few moments. She’s rolling all over the room with great deliberation and covering a lot of distance. We moved the cat food to the second floor and moved furniture around to clear floor space. She’s changed so much in the past week sometimes it’s hard to believe my eyes. She’s saying “Ma-ma-ma” and “Da-da-da” (indiscriminately, of course, but oh so distinctly!). She’s having little conversations with herself and us that honest-to-goodness sound like they have some kind of structure, some kind of grammar, as if she’s speaking a foreign language. She is such a bright little spark. She enjoyed being the center of attention and charmed us all every single day.
Ah, but she IS speaking a foreign language.
She’s speaking BABY.
(don’t you wish you could translate?)
Speaking of talking to herself, if you have a baby monitor (duh, doesn’t everybody?), you’ll hear the most amazing stuff as she learns and uses more words. She’ll probably lay in bed before falling asleep talking at length to her favorite stuffed animal, or just into the void. Our babycakes did that, and it was precious. I actually read an article which opined that little ones review their day and practice their speech that way.
Aw, that’s a great playpen. I love the portable ones – we used to take ours on visits and it was great.
It is interesting and amazing to see you go through these stages…and I say to myself, “Hey, I remember that!”
You’re doing great.
Claire is talking? My, my time flies. 🙂
my god she’s so beautiful. i know people say this stuff all the time, but the moment i scrolled down to her, that was my immediate thought.
you are so blessed. but you will have known that too, long before i stopped by to let you in on it.
Thank you, Jim. I’m cherish when people say that no matter how many times. 🙂